The new cultivar is a product of chance discovery by the inventor. This new variety, hereinafter referred to as ‘MonRig’, was discovered as a naturally occurring, whole plant mutation by the inventor, Rigoberto Pineda. The interesting new mutation was discovered in a commercial nursery in Dayton, Oreg. among a population of unpatented Thuja standishii×plicata during June of 2010.
After identifying the new variety as a potentially interesting selection, the inventor first organized propagation of ‘MonRig’ by meristem tissue culture at the same commercial laboratory during December of 2010. The inventor continued controlled testing and propagation, assessing stability of the unique characteristics of this variety. At least five generations have been reproduced and have shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.